Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

Public area so no, If it were a private beach (like a nude beach or a resort beach etc) then it's a bit different i think. I also assume he wasn't trying to take pictures of people, just pics/video of the flight.

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

If it is a public place you are free to film as you please. Now if your craft is floating above a changing booth that has no roof that is probably frowned upon. Just flying around with a camera mounted or doing the same thing with a DSLR? You have every right to film people in public, you do not need to ask for their permission.

Now if you are going to post those pictures somewhere for say a business or for a stock photo company then yes you would need to consult them first. Otherwise have at it, though remember people will get upset and some will call the police (and ask you not to film in public).

On top of the assault charge she should get dinged with falsely reporting a crime. One of the worst possible things to water down serious crimes are people reporting them when they get scared / want their way.

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

If it is a public place you are free to film as you please. Now if your craft is floating above a changing booth that has no roof that is probably frowned upon. Just flying around with a camera mounted or doing the same thing with a DSLR? You have every right to film people in public, you do not need to ask for their permission.

This basically - if people have an assumption of privacy (like the changing booth with open tops) however you are not allowed to in many places (but not all ...) I have a big copter and I don't even HAVE a camera mount or camera and I still get people acting all weird.

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

Public area so no. I also assume he wasn't trying to take pictures of people, just pics/video of the flight.

He claims that he was flying at well over 50 feet the entire time (besides take-off and landing), which is high enough to no longer be creepy in my view. I could understand a little bit of frustration if he was buzzing sunbathers, but his attacker was just plain nuts.

The man originally posted the video to YouTube, but it has been taken down by the service, and his account has been suspended “as a violation of YouTube's policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully, or threaten.”

I don't get this. The video was posted by the victim of a crime. How is this harassing and towards who? I hope he's challenging this.

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

If it is a public place you are free to film as you please. Now if your craft is floating above a changing booth that has no roof that is probably frowned upon. Just flying around with a camera mounted or doing the same thing with a DSLR? You have every right to film people in public, you do not need to ask for their permission.

True but I don't think that's the whole story. For example, if you were to follow a stranger around the beach, snapping pictures all the while then surely at some point it becomes some form of harassment?

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

If it is a public place you are free to film as you please. Now if your craft is floating above a changing booth that has no roof that is probably frowned upon. Just flying around with a camera mounted or doing the same thing with a DSLR? You have every right to film people in public, you do not need to ask for their permission.

This basically - if people have an assumption of privacy (like the changing booth with open tops) however you are not allowed to in many places (but not all ...) I have a big copter and I don't even HAVE a camera mount or camera and I still get people acting all weird.

This seems correct. Read the Photographers right linked above (which I've read before actually) and this was my take-away. The beach is public > you can photograph whatever you want. Except in areas with "expectation of privacy such as changing rooms" so that should cover the no-roof booth scenario. If this lady took her top of on the beach and someone took a picture; too bad, that the law. Posting this picture online could (and I think would) of course be illegal.

The man originally posted the video to YouTube, but it has been taken down by the service, and his account has been suspended “as a violation of YouTube's policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully, or threaten.”

I don't get this. The video was posted by the victim of a crime. How is this harassing and towards who? I hope he's challenging this.

The police approached me very aggressively, believing her full story, and before anything else was said I brought up

The double standard is disgusting.

No, the "double standard" is not "disgusting." It is entirely consistent with statistical distribution. The overwhelming majority of the time, the male is the aggressor and the female the victim. And I say this as someone who's had women call the cops in a false ploy twice.

The man originally posted the video to YouTube, but it has been taken down by the service, and his account has been suspended “as a violation of YouTube's policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully, or threaten.”

I don't get this. The video was posted by the victim of a crime. How is this harassing and towards who? I hope he's challenging this.

YouTube (somewhat stupidly) automatically accepts the argument of any claimant, leaving the defendant to prove innocence. It's long been a complaint about the Content ID and DMCA takedown systems, too.

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

Public area so no. I also assume he wasn't trying to take pictures of people, just pics/video of the flight.

He claims that he was flying at well over 50 feet the entire time (besides take-off and landing), which is high enough to no longer be creepy in my view. I could understand a little bit of frustration if he was buzzing sunbathers, but his attacker was just plain nuts.

Zoom lenses.

There was a push a while back to legally force a shutter sound whenever a cell phone took a picture, and the justification was precisely people taking creepy pictures at a beach. I don't think the requirement ever went anywhere since it was so trivial to defeat it mechanically.

From the video it looks like she was going to work him over pretty good.

Quote:

When police arrived, Mears claimed the man was taking inappropriate pictures of people sunbathing on the beach and that he had assaulted her. But after the pilot showed the surreptitiously captured video of her assault on him, she was arrested.

rule # 1 - destroy all evidence

rule # 2 - common sense for cripes sake. If someone is going to physically confront you about taking pictures and is agitated it might be a good idea to just say "whoops, sorry" and just stop and leave the area for a bit. They might get arrested for assault or something else, but that doesn't keep one for getting their butt kicked before that happens.

Besides, who wants their butt getting kicked spread all over you tube anyway.

True but I don't think that's the whole story. For example, if you were to follow a stranger around the beach, snapping pictures all the while then surely at some point it becomes some form of harassment?

I don't honestly know if I would have been able to keep my cool. I certainly would not have hit her, but for sure would have went loud and told her where to shove her head.

Legality aside, which he was 100% on the correct side off I should point out; the fact that she thinks he is obligated to do a single fucking thing she says, and has the audacity to hold his hand down so he cannot pack HIS things, makes me actually sick to my stomach.

The police approached me very aggressively, believing her full story, and before anything else was said I brought up

The double standard is disgusting.

No, the "double standard" is not "disgusting." It is entirely consistent with statistical distribution. The overwhelming majority of the time, the male is the aggressor and the female the victim. And I say this as someone who's had women call the cops in a false ploy twice.

Bullcrap. I guess it is OK to stop Mexicans because most illegal immigrants are Mexicans. Equal under the law means everyone has the law applied to them the same as anybody else, not based on some statistical distribution. An individual is an individual, not some statistic.

Just to be sure; there are no laws against taking pictures of people on the beach right? Kids, sunbathers whatever?

Even if that was what he was doing I'm pretty sure it would be legal (perhaps a bit creepy, but legal).

If it is a public place you are free to film as you please. Now if your craft is floating above a changing booth that has no roof that is probably frowned upon. Just flying around with a camera mounted or doing the same thing with a DSLR? You have every right to film people in public, you do not need to ask for their permission.

True but I don't think that's the whole story. For example, if you were to follow a stranger around the beach, snapping pictures all the while then surely at some point it becomes some form of harassment?

Ask any famous person if they can stop the Paparazzi as harassment. How much do they get for those photos that get published?

I don't think it applies in this situation, but regardless of legality, if you keep recording someone after they ask you to stop, you're an ass.

That's a strong prejudice against innocent people who are stubborn, but it's also a good rule of thumb for a photographer to follow.

Paparazzi have every *right* to take the pictures they do, but it doesn't make them good people. (Whether tabloids/gawker/anonymous web users have the right to publish photos of minor celebrities without consent is, of course, an entirely different question.)

Most people who get dirty looks or are asked to stop taking pictures in public places aren't attempting to publish the photos in tabloids, though.

Perhaps the real problem is the hype.Oh evil dudes with drones are going to use them to film through your clothes and impregnate you with their mind!!!!This is only slightly more hyperbolic than actual stories out there.

She decided that she needed to be proactive and make this person sorry they did something that offended her. She had no idea what his intentions were, proceeded to charge in mouth blazing because her imaginary rights were trampled!!! He obviously had to be upto no good, because she imagined he was. She attempted to involve the authorities, and when they didn't jump as she wanted she turned the dial up to 11. (Stick Allegedly everywhere that needs it)

Perhaps she could have merely inquired, expressed that she was a little concerned about what he was up to, he might have shown her the footage and removed all of the concerns. But society now isn't about talking and trying to compromise, it is you are always right and anyone who disagrees is wrong and should be crushed.

I think he is very lucky, given his side of the story, that he taped her. More often than not the allegations get the attention, not the boring part where the story is proven false. This story, (grain of salt here), highlights how people can flip out in the face of the new/different because they only hear the worst case scenarios.

The police approached me very aggressively, believing her full story, and before anything else was said I brought up

The double standard is disgusting.

No, the "double standard" is not "disgusting." It is entirely consistent with statistical distribution. The overwhelming majority of the time, the male is the aggressor and the female the victim. And I say this as someone who's had women call the cops in a false ploy twice.

Yes it actually is and what you just described is stereotyping which you know... is also illegal.

This is especially true in this situation because HE called the police to report the assault.

As the Buddhists would say... Just because something has been doesn't mean it always is.

The police approached me very aggressively, believing her full story, and before anything else was said I brought up

The double standard is disgusting.

No, the "double standard" is not "disgusting." It is entirely consistent with statistical distribution. The overwhelming majority of the time, the male is the aggressor and the female the victim. And I say this as someone who's had women call the cops in a false ploy twice.

You mean like he's the one who called in the assault charge to 911 and yet they approach him as the aggressor, first? Not to mention his shirt is torn while she's immaculate. If he didn't have that video evidence, they probably would have booked him instead of her.